Role Of Lady Macbeth

In William Shakespeare’s dramatic works, women are very influential characters who have a great affect on the outcome of the play. Characters like Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Ophelia in Hamlet, Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra, Portia in The Merchant of Venice, and Hero in Much Ado About Nothing are all memorable and significant women in Shakespeare. Although a majority of these women play subordinate roles, their impact on their story is in no way small or trivial. Lady Macbeth is a prime example. She affects the outcome of Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, through her power, influence, and decline. Lady Macbeth’s power is a dominant characteristic seen throughout the play. If Lady Macbeth could be described in one word, that word would be …show more content…
In the beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth is completely determined that her husband will become king, and she will do anything, even immoral, for that to happen. She calls upon demons to help her perform these evil deeds and to desensitize her integrity and morals. Lady Macbeth manipulates Macbeth in thinking that he must kill King Duncan to become king, and Macbeth murders Duncan. After this murder, things start to change for Lady Macbeth. In Act three, Macbeth becomes King of Scotland and his devious side is now seen. He hires men to kill his friend Banquo, and he is now the monster his wife has created. Although Macbeth and Lady Macbeth feel the same about this whole situation of him protecting his throne, he has now detached himself from his reliance on Lady Macbeth and pursues his own coarse (Macbeth-The Decline). Now that Macbeth is making his own decisions and has taken leadership, Lady Macbeth starts losing her sanity. In Act five, she sleepwalks and reveals all the murders she has committed, and she is trying to wash imaginary blood off her hands. The guilt of all the evil she has done is torturing her, and “She has given all and now her present is overwhelmed by her past. What 's done cannot be undone”(Macbeth-The Decline). In the end, Lady Macbeth commits suicide signifying her inability to deal with the legacy of her crimes. Lady Macbeth’s decline throughout the play affects the story of Macbeth. In conclusion, Macbeth is a prime example of how power can be seen in a lesser character. Macbeth is obviously the main character in the play, but it is evident that Lady Macbeth is the person behind the scenes controlling what is going on. Lady Macbeth plays a crucial role in this Shakespearean play and her character affects the outcome of the story through her power, influence over Macbeth, and her progressive decline throughout the